Although neglected as an industrial raw material, rose hip has been important for both nutritional and medical purposes for centuries. The main goal of this study was to propose a rapid and inexpensive non-thermal technique such as high voltage electrical discharge (HVED) to preserve valuable rose hip bioactive compounds, towards the development of high-quality products, including low-calorie products. The objective of this work was to evaluate the effects of HVED on the physicochemical properties and the microbiological safety of rose hip nectar formulations and, for comparison, on a pasteurised sample. Physicochemical analysis proved that rose hip pulp and the prepared nectars were valuable sources of polyphenols and ascorbic acid with high antioxidant activity. The HVED technique had minimal effects on the quality characteristics of the nectars under the different process conditions (50, 100 Hz; 10, 15, 20 min). In addition, the pasteurised nectar showed the greatest loss of ascorbic acid (54%) and phenolic compounds (40%). The microbiological quality of nectars was examined immediately after preparation/treatment and after 6 and 12 days of storage at 4 °C. In addition to the pasteurised sample, HVED-treated rose hip nectar prepared from microwave-blanched puree with extended shelf life had satisfactory microbiological safety after storage.

Ageing in oak barrels affects the tertiary aroma of red wine, yet further research on the impact of different conditions used for medium toasting of barrels could still be conducted to optimise wine production and meet consumer preferences. In this study, using the GC/MS method, the aroma profiles of two consecutive vintages of Cabernet Sauvignon wine and samples aged for 12 months in different vessels were determined. Besides the stainless steel tanks, Excellence barrels with medium, medium plus, and medium long toasting, and Premium barrels with medium toasting were used. A total of 48 aroma compounds were identified, and their odour activity value (OAV ≥ 1) was calculated. According to it, 10 key compounds were selected: β-damascenone, ethyl octanoate, ethyl vanillate, ethyl cinnamate, lauric acid, linalool, hotrienol, ethyl hexanoate, diethyl succinate, and 2-phenylethanol. The results showed that wooden barrels have a greater impact on wine aroma during ageing, compared to stainless steel tanks. The initial wine aroma and key compounds with fruity, floral, and fatty notes were most preserved in the stainless steel tank. The study highlights that controlled selection of barrel type (grain density) and toasting method can significantly modulate the aromatic complexity of Cabernet Sauvignon wines. Toasted barrels resulted in an increase in smoky and woody notes (volatile phenols and lactones), and a decrease in fruity and floral notes (β-damascenone, 2-phenylethanol, hotrienol, linalool, etc.). These findings could provide practical guidelines for winemakers for optimising ageing strategies and contributing new insights into the impact of wine vessels on aroma development and sensory perception.

Edible and medicinal mushrooms, including cultivated and wild species, are increasingly recognized as valuable functional foods and nutraceutical resources due to their high nutritional value, abundance of bioactive compounds, and documented health-promoting properties. However, their high perishability results in substantial postharvest quality losses and limits commercial shelf life. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in mushroom preservation technologies, with particular emphasis on emerging non-thermal approaches such as cold plasma treatment, active packaging systems, and electrostatic field technologies. Conventional and advanced drying methods, edible coatings, biopreservation, fermentation and irradiation are also critically evaluated. Cold plasma treatment effectively reduces microbial contamination and enzymatic browning while maintaining firmness and nutritional quality, whereas active packaging systems based on chitosan films, nanocomposites, and modified atmospheres help reduce moisture loss, delay senescence, and preserve physicochemical properties during storage. Electrostatic field treatment combined with modified atmosphere packaging has shown additional potential for extending refrigerated shelf life. Among drying technologies, freeze-drying generally provides the highest retention of colour, texture and bioactive compounds, although its industrial application remains constrained by high energy consumption and operational costs. Overall, current evidence suggests that integrated preservation approaches offer the greatest potential for improving shelf-life extension and quality retention. Nevertheless, further research is required to address challenges related to industrial scalability, process standardization, economic feasibility and long-term quality assessment.

Promising approach for the expansion of the functional food sector is combining various ingredients with potential health benefits. The aim of this study was to create protein aggregates by freeze-drying encapsulation. Rice or pea proteins were used as carriers for encapsulation of chokeberry juice polyphenols. Additionally, disaccharides (sucrose and trehalose) were added to explore possible enhancement of encapsulation of polyphenols. Two methods were employed for complexation of ingredients prior to freeze-drying: one based on complexation of all ingredients at the same time and the other on complexation first of proteins with disaccharides and then with chokeberry juice. All parameters affected the binding of polyphenols on proteins. Total polyphenols, proanthocyanidins, individual polyphenols, and antioxidant potentials of created protein aggregates were determined. When rice protein was the main carrier, the addition of disaccharides caused a decrease in total polyphenols and proanthocyanindins contents (22.41–24.01 mg GAE/g and 6.36–7.28 mg PB2E/g, respectively) in comparison to aggregates without their addition (28.03 mg GAE/g and 8.57 mg PB2E/g, respectively). In the case of pea proteins, a different trend was observed. Aggregates without disaccharide addition had a lower amount of total polyphenols and proanthocyanindins (21.25 mg GAE/g and 5.56 mg PB2E/g, respectively) than those with disaccharide addition (21.42–26.44 mg GAE/g and 6.37–9.45 mg PB2E/g, respectively). Interactions between compounds were proven through IR spectra, and they included changes in amid structures, as well as hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Such formulated plant-based protein aggregates can be used in the food industry for the enrichment of foods with polyphenols, incensement of antioxidant potential, and prolonging stability of products.

"Null" (unverarbeitete) bis minimal verarbeitete Lebensmittel erfreuen sich zunehmender Beliebtheit, da die Verbraucher immer mehr Wert auf die Herkunft unverarbeiteter und minimal verarbeiteter Lebensmittel legen. Minimale Verarbeitungstechniken haben sich als äußerst wirksam erwiesen, um die Haltbarkeit zu verlängern und die Produktqualität und -sicherheit zu verbessern. Eine der schonenden Konservierungstechniken und ein Beispiel für ein "Hürdenkonzept" ist das Sous-Vide-Verfahren, das sich auf eine minimale Wärmebehandlung von Lebensmitteln unter Vakuum konzentriert. Die Bedingungen beim Sous-Vide-Garen unterscheiden sich deutlich von denen traditioneller Garmethoden oder von denen, die in der Gastronomie und der Lebensmittelindustrie angewandt werden. Als Kombination aus Vakuum und präzisem Garen einerseits und gesunder Ernährung mit neuen Ernährungserfahrungen andererseits erfreut sich Sous-Vide immer größerer Beliebtheit. Diese Technik wird weltweit in Restaurants, im Catering, in der industriellen Produktion und in Haushalten eingesetzt. Die mikrobiologische Sicherheit von Sous-Vide-Produkten hängt von der Zeit- und Temperaturkontrolle während des Garprozesses, der schnellen Abkühlung nach der Verarbeitung und der Temperaturkontrolle während der Lagerung ab. Darüber hinaus sind eine hohe mikrobiologische Qualität der Roh- und Zusatzstoffe sowie eine gute Hygiene im Produktionsprozess für die Herstellung von mikrobiologisch stabilen und sicheren Sous-Vide-Produkten unerlässlich. Aufgrund der Anwendung relativ niedriger Temperaturen werden Sporenbildner, sofern vorhanden, durch die Behandlung nicht inaktiviert. Um Sporenbildner oder verderbliche/schädliche Bakterien signifikant zu reduzieren, ist es daher notwendig, nur Rohmaterial von bester Qualität zu verwenden. Einige Bakterien, die zwar keine Sporenbildner sind, wie Listeria monocytogenes, Enterococcus faecalis oder Staphylococcus aureus, können aufgrund ihrer spezifischen Zellwandstruktur ein Sicherheitsproblem darstellen. Die Sous-Vide-Technik kann erfolgreich mit nicht-thermischen Methoden kombiniert werden, um die vorhandene Mikroflora, insbesondere pathogene Mikroorganismen, zu kontrollieren. In diesem Überblick werden die Arten von Verfahren, die Garbedingungen und die qualitativen Merkmale typischer Sous-Vide-Lebensmittel (aus Fleisch, Meeresfrüchten, Gemüse und anderen Rohstoffen) vorgestellt. Die Vor- und Nachteile des Sous-Vide-Garens, die sich auf die ernährungsphysiologische und sensorische Qualität und die Lebensmittelsicherheit auswirken, werden vorgestellt.

Citrus fruits (Citrus spp.) constitute a significant portion of global agricultural production due to their rich nutritional profile and the presence of bioactive compounds with positive health effects. Phytochemicals such as flavonoids, carotenoids, phenolic acids and terpenoids contribute to the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and cardioprotective effects of citrus fruits and make them important and functional foodstuffs. Infrared spectroscopy coupled with Fourier transformation, or FTIR spectroscopy, is increasingly used as a rapid, non-destructive, and reliable method for analysing the chemical composition of fresh and processed citrus fruit samples, including juices, pulp, peel, and essential oils. FTIR enables the identification and quantification of bioactive substances by detecting characteristic vibrational bands. In combination with chemometric techniques such as principal component analysis (PCA) and the method of partial least squares regression (PLSR), it allows for the accurate classification and estimation of the content of bioactive compounds. The method has also proven useful for authentication, quality control, and the analysis of citrus waste and by-products. Despite its many advantages, FTIR spectroscopy has limitations in the analysis of complex mixtures and low concentrations of compounds, as well as poor selectivity compared to methods such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) or gas chromatography with mass spectrometry (GC–MS). Therefore, it is often used in combination with other techniques to increase analytical accuracy and specificity. Thanks to its simplicity, speed, and ability to analyse different matrices, FTIR spectroscopy is a valuable tool in food and agricultural science, especially in the context of quality control and valorisation of bioactive compounds in citrus fruits.